NervGen Clinical Trial – BLINK acts as screener

In the fall of 2023, the #1 SCI Model / Rehabilitation Facility, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, reached out to ask if Blink of an Eye^TM would partner with them to help secure the right candidates into the most current, non-invasive, potentially revolutionary scientific trial, the NervGen trial. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the sole site for the NervGen trial. This trial is an incredible opportunity for some SCI patients to participate in a Phase 1b/2a clinical Study of NVG-291. NervGen is evaluating the effect of NVG-291 on descending connectivity in subjects with chronic SCI using objective electrophysiological measures.

Blink of an Eye^TM was able to connect the NervGen team with some of our BLINK families who met the criteria.  Three are in process of qualifying and one has begun the trial. The next cohort will be subacute SCI patients 1-49 days from injury (still in ICUs) which poses many, many challenges, the first of which is how to even get the information to families in crisis when most hospitals are not SCI educated. Blink of an Eye^TM is well-positioned to do this with our bedside HEAL Team, which deploys in rapid response to ICUs across the country upon receiving a call alerting Blink of an Eye^TM to a recent SCI injury. Blink’s team makes a connection with the SCI family and travels to be bedside within hours or days of injury.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Meghan Morrow of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, a global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation for adults and children with the most severe and complex conditions for our Blink of an EyeTM podcast, Season 4 #194 finale.  You can listen to the podcast episode here.   Meghan is one of the driving forces along with Dr. Monica Perez in the groundbreaking NervGen trials at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago.  From crafting affordable devices for stroke and brain injury patients to now leading exclusive trials with Dr. Perez, listeners will hear Meghan’s passion for innovation that is pushing the envelope for what is possible for those living with SCI 1-10 years from injury.

We are excited to act as a connector between SCI families and important clinical trial research.